Truce in K'taka: Will it be short-lived?

Last updated on: November 08, 2009 21:51 IST

A truce between the warring factions in the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka has been worked out finally after two weeks.

BJP sources say that the truce was arrived at after taking into consideration the larger interest of the national party so that the Congress does not take advantage of the situation and bounce back to power where the BJP has a strong hold.

Top sources in New Delhi told rediff.com that they could not afford anymore crisis.

They say that a chief minister of another BJP-led state is likely to come under attack since the Congress was attempting to build cases against him. The national leadership of the BJP will have to deal with this issue, too, and hence could not afford anymore bickering in the party.

However, it appears that in Karnataka a compromise formula has been worked out. The BJP is aware of the fact that the Congress is hurt that it had lost Karnataka -- its strong bastion.

The high command did everything to defend Yeddyurappa since it was aware that any move to remove him would prove fatal to the party. Yeddyurappa is the face of the party in Karnataka and at least 90 per cent of the Lingayat votes ride on him.Sources said that if Yeddyurappa is removed at this point of time, then all the Lingayats would boot the BJP out and vote for the Congress instead.

However, sources specify though a truce has been worked out, but in reality a lot of differences between the warring factions still remain.

Sources close to Jagadish Shettar, who is pitched by the Reddy camp as the next chief minister, say that Yedyurappa will stay as the CM only for three months.

Sources said Yeddyurappa will present the next Karnataka budget in February and then step down himself. However, the Yeddyurappa camp denies any such plans.

Meanwhile, both factions confirm that a six-point formula has been worked out between the two factions. While the removal of V P Baligar and Shobha Karandlage has already been effected, the remaining changes will be done soon.

A core committee, headed by Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, will be in place to oversee most decisions taken by the chief minister. Four more ministers from the Yeddyurappa camp will be dropped and six MLAs from the Reddy faction will be inducted into the Cabinet.

There appears to be a solution to the crisis. However, several BJP leaders say that it will be short-lived. A cabinet meeting is scheduled at Bangalore on Monday morning following which the chief minister and the Reddy brothers will leave for North Karnataka to review the flood relief works.